The role of receptor-like kinases in fungal/microbial resistance in plants

Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) are among the diverse array of plant defense components that perceive specific ligands and transduce defense signaling by cascades of phosphorylations mediated by transmembrane and cytoplasmic kinases for ultimate defense response. Though RLKs are one of the most exploited subgroups of the abundant plant protein family, kinases, their defense role against fungal pathogens across plant species is fragmented and less comprehensively understood. The association of other proteins with RLK for coreception and RLK-mediated cascades of downstream defense-signaling are crucial for signal transduction and eventual defense response. This section is aimed at exhaustively discussing the diversities and roles of RLKs in pathogen ligand perception and downstream defense-signaling for triggering plant immunity against fungal pathogens. This chapter is, therefore, believed to provide important insights into the roles of RLKs in plant defense, which could be helpful for researchers working on genetic resistance breeding.